Apple has announced that iOS 12, the latest version of its mobile operating system, will be available in the fall, giving a significant performance boost to older iPhones. iOS 12 is bursting with many new features, designed to improve functionality, responsiveness and performance.

iOS 12 Preview

If your small business relies on iPhones to carry out business tasks, take a look at the following 10 facts small business users should know about Apple’s impending iOS 12 update.

It’s Faster

When running a small business, time is of the essence and you don’t want to be kept waiting to do everyday tasks like sending emails or downloading apps. The iOS 12 update will make your iPhone faster and more responsive, with up to a 70% faster swipe to camera, 50% faster keyboard display and 2 times faster app launch under heavy workload.

It Gives You Better FaceTime with More of Your Team

FaceTime is a great way for teams to communicate with one another — particularly if they work remotely. Thanks to the iOS 12 update, you will be able to meet with and talk to up to 32 colleagues simultaneously. You can even start a group FaceTime meeting from a group thread in Messages.

It Let’s You Share AR Objects with Clients and Team Members

Small businesses are starting to realize the huge potential of Augmented Reality (AR), especially as a marketing tool. iOS 12 capitalizes on the demand for AR, enabling users to send AR objects with Messages and Mail, so clients, colleagues or employees can view AR creations, bringing greater immersive AR experiences to your small business.

It Reduces Interruptions During the Day with Notification Management

An iPhone that is beeping and buzzing all day can be incredibly distracting when you are trying to get on with work. With iOS 12 you will be able to manage your notifications in real time from the Lock screen. What’s more, Siri will make intelligent suggestions about your notifications based on how you interact with them, helping your alerts become less distracting.

It Gives You Greater Control of Do Not Disturb Notifications

Whether you’re in a meeting or halfway through writing a vital document, there are times when you don’t want to be disturbed by your mobile devices, so you hit the Do Not Disturb setting. However, it’s fairly easy to accidentally leave the Do Not Disturb notification on, which could be costly to a small business, meaning you miss out on an important phone call.

With the iOS 12 update you can set Do Not Disturb just while you’re at a specific location or in a meeting and it will automatically switch off when you leave the location or the event ends.

It Lets You Streamline Business Tasks with Shortcuts

From picking up a coffee on the way into the office to arranging team meetings, iOS 12 will streamline your daily tasks with the new Shortcuts app. Siri will intelligently pair your day-to-day routines with third-party apps to suggest convenient shortcuts when you need them.

It Protects your Business’s Privacy

Ensuring data and private information remains safe and secure is a vital part of running a small business. Apple takes privacy extremely seriously and it shows in the iOS 12 update. iOS has built-in encryption, on-device intelligence and other tools, which enable you to share information on your terms. And that’s not all. The latest mobile operating system prevents Share buttons and comment widgets on web pages from tracking you without your permission, meaning your business’s information will not be shared unless you want it to be.

It Audio Records Memos with Ease

Small businesses which are constantly out and about rely on quick and easy solutions for saving and sharing ideas or notes. One such solution is the audio recording app. With iOS 12, iPhone’s popular audio recording app Voice Memos comes to the iPad too meaning you can now record memos to iCloud using either device.

It Makes your Business Passwords Stronger

When it comes to business passwords, they simply can’t be strong enough. The iOS 12 update automatically creates and saves unique and complex passwords for all your apps and websites, enhancing the security of your small business. As the passwords are automatically saved in Safari, you never have to remember (or forget) a password again.

It Makes Running Low on Batteries a Thing of the Past

You’ve definitely been there! Caught on a vital business call, your suddenly your phone goes dead as the battery runs out. Such business dilemmas could be a thing of the past with iOS 12, thanks to a battery usage chart in Settings showing your usage over the last 24 hours or 10 days. This means you can stay more in control of the juice in your battery.